Panel urges limiting election petition appeals to Court of Appeal
The Independent Judicial Accountability Panel has proposed reforms to Nigeria’s election litigation process. The group wants election petitions for the National Assembly and governorship races to end at the Court of Appeal, except in rare cases. It also called for changes to the judiciary and restrictions on former electoral officials entering politics. Mojeet Owoade chaired the panel, which made several recommendations to promote transparency and fairness.
What we know
- The panel recommends that election petitions for the House of Representatives, Senate, and governorship races should end at the Court of Appeal, with a five-member panel hearing cases.
- In exceptional cases, parties could appeal to the Supreme Court with the court’s permission.
- The panel suggests a five-year ban on former INEC officials participating in partisan politics after leaving the commission.
- It advocates for independent candidacy in elections and amendments to allow citizens to file public interest litigation over electoral breaches.
- The panel also wants the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria unbundled and urges the National Assembly to record votes on constitutional issues rather than using voice votes.
